Sunday, November 16, 2008

Chandrayaan-I lands on moon

Chandrayaan-I lands on moon on Friday night ..india to be the fourth nation to do this historic milestone after a Moon Impact Probe with the national tri-colour painted successfully landed on the lunar surface .

Joining the US, the Soviet Union and the European Union, the 35-kg Moon Impact Probe hit the moon exactly at 8.31 PM, about 25 minutes after the probe instrument descended from the satellite in what ISRO described as a “perfect operation“.

Miniature Indian flags painted on four sides of the MIP signalled the country’s symbolic entry into moon to coincide with the birth anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, observed as Children’s Day.

“It will signify the entry of India on Moon,” an ISRO official said.

During its 20-minute descent to the moon’s surface, MIP took pictures and transmitted them back to the ground. The first pictures are expected to be made public on Saturday.